Pioppini Mushroom Lasagna Cupcakes

17/11/2023

The idea of transforming a traditional dish like lasagna into cupcakes is very original and fun. Using pioppini, which are a kind of delicate and tasty mushrooms, one can create a meatless and flavorful version of this dish. Here is the recipe for making pioppini mushroom lasagna cupcakes, with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

250 g of pioppini mushrooms
9 sheets of lasagna pasta
2 cloves of garlic
200 g of ricotta cheese
100 g of grated parmesan cheese
250 g of pizza mozzarella (preferably low moisture)
300 ml of tomato puree
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil
Butter for greasing the cupcake molds

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
Clean the pioppini mushrooms, removing the earthy part of the stem and chopping the mushrooms into pieces.
In a pan, sauté the garlic cloves in extra virgin olive oil, add the pioppini mushrooms, and cook until they are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Cut the lasagna pasta into rectangles about the size to fit into the cupcake molds (or cut the pasta with a round cutter to fit). Boil the pieces of pasta for about 5-7 minutes in salted water, then strain and lay them on a clean cloth to dry.
Grease the cupcake molds with butter.
Begin building your lasagna cupcakes by placing a piece of pasta at the bottom of each mold, then add a spoonful of ricotta, some pioppini mushrooms, and a bit of tomato puree. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella and parmesan.
Repeat the layers until the mold is filled, finishing with a final layer of pasta, tomato puree, grated mozzarella, and parmesan.
Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing the lasagna cupcakes from the molds.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

These pioppini mushroom lasagna cupcakes are perfect as an appetizer or as a main course in a casual dinner. They are also easily portable, making them ideal for a picnic or a buffet.

Curiosity

Pioppini mushrooms, also known as “honey fungus” in Italy, have a delicate flavor and slightly crunchy texture that holds up well to cooking. It’s important not to wash them under running water but to gently clean them with a damp cloth or a soft brush to maintain their texture.